University of Tsukuba, Malaysia

With the MoU for Intergovernmental Cooperation signed between the Malaysian and Japanese governments in March of this year, the plan to establish a new academic department in Malaysia, the "School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design", submitted to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, was approved. This is the first time a Japanese university will establish a Japanese degree-granting faculty abroad.

The University of Tsukuba plans to establish the "School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design" in Kuala Lumpur in September 2024, subject to approval by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). This concept is based on the "cultivation of professional ethics and values through Japanese language and Japanese-style education" and the "awarding of degrees by Japanese universities". Its focus is on practical problem-solving across different fields based on "interdisciplinary education in the bachelor's program by a comprehensive university" developed through the "academic group and academic department system".

The University of Tsukuba aims to develop human resources who can contribute to solving global-scale problems faced by Malaysia and neighboring countries. It plans to begin recruiting students for the undergraduate program as soon as the approval process by the MOHE is completed. The establishment of an overseas faculty by University of Tsukuba also expected to improve the educational model of Japanese universities in cooperation with local educational institutions and companies overseas, and to lead the export and overseas development of Japanese-style higher education.